


All Our Friends Want us to Fall in Love

by darkfaerie



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Maybe sex, famous au, famous!percy, percy is spiderman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-01-26 00:20:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21365068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkfaerie/pseuds/darkfaerie
Summary: Granted he’d only been “famous” for a few months now, but Percy thought he’d gotten used to being around pretty girls all the time. It kind of came with the job.But when he saw her, it felt like the air had been sucked from his lungs. God, she was… stunning. It looked like she was just trying to blend in with everything around, but Percy found it impossible not to notice her. Her eyes looked like they carried the strength of a hurricane, and the way her curly blonde hair framed her face… Percy was an absolute goner.orPercy's the new actor playing Spider-Man and Annabeth really wants to hate famous people.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 11
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Do people still read Percabeth fics in 2019? No? Oh well, here's my attempt at one.
> 
> Loosely based on this music video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTh-iDe7feA not a fan of country normally but this video makes my heart melt

If anyone had asked Annabeth where she saw herself at 24, three years ago, she would’ve said working on her masters in architectural engineering or an internship at a firm. Not fetching coffee for celebrities at their beck and call. 

Life is complicated like that, but that’s a story for another day.

Getting coffee wasn’t her only job. She mostly followed the producer around to do whatever she needed whether it be telling people where their mark was or to “dim the fucking lights please!”   
She was the assistant on set of America’s most famous interview studio, The Hero, for celebrity news and gossip. It was pretty embarrassing, but it made good money. And she’d met everyone from Justin Trudeau to Madonna. “Met” being a stretch as most of her conversations with them went, “Can I get you anything?” 

The morning had started off just like every other one for the past year and a half. Annabeth had woken up before the sun, put on the same black clothes (her uniform could be anything as long as it was black), started coffee while simultaneously brushing her hair, then hustled it out the door to make the subway into the heart of the city. Her roommate worked at the same studio as her but didn’t have to be there until 9. Unlike Annabeth who had to be there at 7 sharp to start filling the coffee pots and making itineraries for the crew. 

Her life really was nothing like she’d planned it to be.

Annabeth was in the middle of clipping a microphone onto said roommate and interviewer, Piper. Their set looked a lot like a hotel room, with generic looking arm chairs set in front of a window that overlooked the New York skyline. The window was probably the only thing about Annabeth’s job that kept her sane. She could look at those buildings forever. It also made her chest tighten because of how much she missed who she used to be.

“So, who’s the unlucky soul who has to talk to you today?” Annabeth teased, as a makeup artist was finishing up last minute touches on Piper.

“That new actor in Spider-Man, Percy Jackson. Can’t believe how famous that guy’s gotten.” 

As Piper was saying that, the man himself strolled in. Annabeth took pride at not getting starstruck over celebrities, especially the hot ones, but something in her stomach dropped when she saw him. 

He was taller than Annabeth but only by a few inches. His black hair looked messy, but it had probably been perfectly placed that way by a team of stylists. His smile radiated throughout the room. What really shook Annabeth was his eyes. They were the deepest turquoise she’d ever seen, the same color as the ocean waves off the coast of California. How was that possible?

“Annabeth!” Piper half yelled, half whispered. “You okay?”

Annabeth was snapped out of her daze. “Yeah, sorry. Good luck.” She forced a smile and rushed out of sight of the cameras as Percy was sitting in the chair across from Piper. Her cheeks felt warm, and she gave herself a mental pep talk about how she’d seen plenty of famous faces before, this shouldn’t be any different. 

Directors started counting down time to rolling, while Annabeth watched through one of the screens. This was easy. She did this everyday. 

The green light turned on, and every noise in the room hushed. Piper plastered on her charming smile and leaned toward Percy. “Welcome, Percy, Hollywood’s newest shining star! It was only a matter of time before you ended up here, wasn’t it?”

The laughter that came out of Percy’s mouth gave Annabeth goosebumps. “I suppose it was inevitable. But really, I’m so excited to be here. I can’t imagine who else has sat in this chair before me.”

Tom Hanks, Idris Elba, Annabeth thought. Too many more. Her eyes moved from the screen over to the real people in front of it. She could’ve sworn that Percy’s eyes flicked towards her and his smile had gone up a little, but in a moment he was looking at Piper again.

“We’re so happy you’re here to answer everyone’s burning questions. Spider-Man comes out in a short two months. How are you feeling about that?”

“It really feels like a dream. I remember when I was a kid it was really hard for me to read because I have dyslexia, but those comics were my saving grace. I’d spend hours at a time reading about Peter Parker, and now I am Peter Parker. I just hope I’ve done him justice.”

Okay, that pulled at Annabeth’s heartstrings. Her knuckles were turning white from how hard she was gripping her clipboard. 

Piper placed a perfectly manicured hand on her chest. “Isn’t that so dang sweet! From what everyone knows about Peter Parker, you already seem like a great fit. What were you doing when you found out you’d landed the role?”

“I was at my mom’s apartment. It’d been about three weeks since my second audition so I’d assumed that they’d picked someone else. I was helping my mom bake cookies when my agent called.” Percy’s eyes were shining so brightly. It was obvious the memory he was sharing was a good one. “She was like, ‘you’re doing a reading with Rachel, and then you have the part.’ We celebrated so much our cookies burnt.”

“Ah, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, your dazzling co-star. Has the love from the movie screen transferred into real life at all?”

Annabeth was many things and jealous wasn’t one of them. Especially not of a girl she’d never met. But for whatever reason the green monster had made its way inside her. “Get a fucking grip,” she muttered under her breath.

What soothed Annabeth over was that Percy looked uncomfortable. “That remains yet to be seen,” is all he managed to get out.

Luckily, their show liked being reputable and didn’t focus too much on the romantic lives of their interviewees. “Well, the world is dying to see the movie. Can you tell us what it was like being on such a high budget set for the first time?”

Piper and Percy continued on like that for another 45 minutes. Annabeth’s eyes remained glued on the young movie star for most of it, but sometimes she’d have to go off and get something for different members of the crew. When the bell to signal filming went off, Annabeth’s heart sped up slightly. Now she’d have to talk to him. She glanced at her reflection in the blackened window of the AV room. Her hair was still in its perfect loose curls, and the light makeup she had to wear to work was still in place. What was she doing? He’s just a guy.

Annabeth followed the horde of people that went up to Piper and Percy to de-mic them. She cleared her throat when she was next to him. “Afternoon, Mr. Jackson, can I get you anything? Water, pellegrino, a coke?”

When his eyes found hers it felt like the world stopped turning momentarily. Up close they were even greener than she would’ve ever realized. His mouth turned up into an easy smile. 

“A coke would be great, thank you.”

Not wanting the chance to embarrass herself, Annabeth quickly left to do her job.

*******

Granted he’d only been “famous” for a few months now, but Percy thought he’d gotten used to being around pretty girls all the time. It kind of came with the job.

But when he saw her, it felt like the air had been sucked from his lungs. God, she was… stunning. It looked like she was just trying to blend in with everything around, but Percy found it impossible not to notice her. Her eyes looked like they carried the strength of a hurricane, and the way her curly blonde hair framed her face… Percy was an absolute goner.

He didn’t know when he’d have the chance to talk to her. Currently a makeup team was fixing his face up to get photos for the studio to use. A stylist came and forced him to take off his shirt then scampered off to get another one. 

His agent was standing next to him, typing at the speed of light on her phone. “That was a great interview, Percy, really amazing. Rachel will be here in 15 to do the shoot with you and then I think you’re free for the rest of the day. But remember, we fly out at 10 tomorrow to do press in Europe.” She said all of this while never stopping her rapid finger tapping. 

“Thanks, Silena, I appreciate you keeping me on my toes,” Percy said a bit dryly, but he really did appreciate her. “So I’m good to go to that party in SoHo tonight?” 

Her eyes darted up to meet his. “If I get one bad paparazzi or social media post with you, you won’t be going to another party until after the movie is out, understood?”

“Aye, aye captain.” Percy gave her a mock salute. He was pretty sure he was the furthest thing from scandalous. Before Percy’s rise to stardom, his total party attendance had been zero. The only reason he went now was because he wanted to fit into the Hollywood lifestyle. He wanted to make friends with people who could help guide him in this crazy new world. So far, he’d done pretty well. 

“Here’s your coke, Mr. Jackson.”

His head snapped towards the blonde girl who he’d been unable to get his mind off earlier. Yep, still just as gorgeous as ten minutes ago. It felt like his eyes were glued to hers. The hurricane was pulling him into its grasp. “Please, call me Percy.”

Mystery blonde gave him a polite smile. “Percy,” she repeated. His name sounded amazing coming from her lips. Had he mentioned how nice her lips looked?

Before he could ask for her name, she’d turned around and was hurriedly exiting the room. He was disappointed, but it was selfish of him to want her to have stayed. She was working. And so was he.

********  
The next two hours were filled with multiple outfit changes, lots of lighting changes, and rushing around the studio to deliver different things to different people. But Annabeth was used to it. This was just another day.

Except for the fact that her eyes constantly betrayed her and found their way to Percy. He was so fucking cute, it was driving Annabeth insane. The image of Percy sitting in his dressing room chair shirtless was also permanently ingrained into her brain. And Rachel was beautiful. It was hard for Annabeth to admit how nice they looked next to each other. Her flaming red hair made it impossible for her not to be noticed. Multiple shots included them having their arms around one another, and it was obvious they were comfortable with it. 

The solo shots they took of Percy were absolutely stunning, though. Annabeth caught herself staring at one of the computer screens that showed a close up of Percy pulling a turtleneck halfway up his face. It was so endearing but also hot at the same time. How did someone manage to make a turtleneck look sexy? Somehow Percy had managed the feat.

Annabeth busied herself with sorting out wires in order to avoid any encounters with Percy Jackson. “When you get home, you can open a bottle of cheap rosé,” Annabeth was telling herself, “and maybe you can convince Piper to rub your feet.” Sometimes, if Annabeth begged enough, her incredibly kind best friend would cave.

Annabeth owed a lot to Piper. She was the youngest interviewer the show had ever hired, and yet still stuck her neck out to get Annabeth a job at the studio after being at the lowest point in her life ever. Piper was many things, beautiful, charming, generous, and extremely persuasive. It was one of the reasons she’d managed to land such a high end job at the young age of 22. That, and having a famous father didn’t hurt either. 

What Annabeth should’ve been doing was calling caterers for the studio’s many upcoming events that they were constantly hosting, but she didn’t feel like dealing with it today. As she was absentmindedly tapping her pencil against the box she was sitting on top of, someone cleared their throat.

Annabeth was fully prepared to start apologizing to her boss, but when she looked up Percy Jackson was standing in front of her, with possibly the cutest smile in the world plastered on his face. 

“Mr. Ja-- I mean Percy. Hi, do you need something?” Annabeth was quickly running through every possible reason that the Spider-man actor could be standing in front of her. Did he need her to fetch lunch for his team? Maybe iron his shirt?

Oddly enough, Percy seemed nervous to be around her. “Er, no, I just wanted to introduce myself properly. You’ve been so busy it’s been hard to catch you. I’m Percy.” He held out his hand towards her. His hand seemed like a bomb about to go off to her.

Annabeth slowly brought her hand up to his. As soon as it made contact she felt pin pricks all over her entire body. She hoped her hand hadn’t started sweating. “Annabeth,” was all she was able to choke out. 

“Annabeth,” Percy said, his smile becoming even wider, “that’s a pretty name.”

Was Percy flirting with her? The thought seemed impossible, but Annabeth had enough dating experience to know that it wasn’t just casual conversation happening here. “Thanks, uh, I like it, too.” Apparently all her flirting lessons had been lost. 

“This is probably going to be totally out of line since we just met, but there’s a party tonight in SoHo. I know some of the other crew members from here are going, and I was just wondering if, uh, you’d be going too? Or would you like to go?”

Definitely flirting.

Annabeth was so taken aback by what he was saying that it took her a few moments to form a coherent sentence. Remember who you are, she scolded herself mentally, don’t let some celebrity get under your skin. “I don’t usually go to those, but I can consider it. Maybe if Piper is going.”

The light seemed to dim in Percy’s eyes slightly. Or maybe she was just imagining it. Probably that. “Oh, okay, cool. Well, I hope to see you there tonight anyway. It’s at The Grand if you decide you want to come.”

“Thanks for the invite,” Annabeth responded, trying not to let her true emotions show. Playing it cool was her specialty. 

If it wasn’t awkward before it definitely was now. Percy stood there for a few more seconds, gave her a small wave, then left the room.

What the hell had just happened?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i don't really have a plan on when i'll be updating, but hopefully it's semi regularly. hope y'all like it so far <3

As soon as Annabeth was cleared to go home, she grabbed Piper by the elbow and dragged her into the elevator. Obviously she had to go to the party, but the last time she’d been at a party was freshman year of college, and she’d been so wasted she’d vowed never to go another one ever again.

That was until Percy Jackson invited her. 

“Ow. Ow. Ow,” Piper hissed, “what am I being injured for?” 

When they were in the safety of a closed elevator, Annabeth released Piper’s arm. Her best friend was staring at her with a very pointed look, like she knew exactly what was going on, which was extremely impossible. 

“Percy Jackson invited me to a party tonight.”

It was somewhat of a pleasure to see Piper’s smug expression turn to one of disbelief. “Percy Jackson, as in the Percy Jackson that I just interviewed? The famous one? The hot one?”

“Are you saying it’s weird for a hot guy to ask me out?” Annabeth knew she was just being difficult, but she really had no idea how to articulate exactly the emotions she was feeling. 

“No, but it’s not frickin’ every day that a movie star invites you to a party! What did you say? Annabeth Chase I swear to god if you said no--”

“I didn’t say no, I said maybe.”

If looks could kill, Annabeth would be a pile of dust on the floor. “You said maybe? I’m sorry I wasn’t aware you had anything cooler going on in your life,” Piper scolded.

“Well, I said I would go if you were going, and I definitely want to go, so now you’re going too.” Annabeth smiled as pleasantly as she could and batted her eyelashes a few times for good measure. “Best friend,” she added at the last second.

The elevator dinged and opened up to the bottom floor. “Have I ever said no to a party? I need more details but let’s get home so I can scream at you in private,” Piper responded as the two girls exited the elevator and made their way to the subway.

The ride back to their apartment was way too long as Annabeth was dying to tell Piper everything that had happened since the moment Percy Jackson had walked into their studio. It was so weird for Annabeth to have become so infatuated so instantly, but the emotions that tugged at her heart couldn’t be explained. The guy was just so annoyingly handsome and seemed so down to earth, it really wasn’t fair. 

“Okay, I’ve been trying to get you to go on dates for years, and now you’re ready to jump Percy Jackson’s bones?” Piper demanded as soon as they were securely in their shoebox apartment. 

It was a one bedroom apartment, and since Piper paid more in rent she got the bedroom, while Annabeth had turned a corner of the living room into hers. It was shielded by bamboo folding screens, but Annabeth was happy with her space and affordable rent. Living in New York wasn’t easy monetarily speaking.

“I don’t want to jump his bones, but I was kinda into him when I saw him this morning. I didn’t think anything would happen, so I was shocked when he asked me,” Annabeth explained. “Please go with me.”

Piper’s face broke out into a grin. “Don’t be stupid, of course I’ll go! I’m just giving you a hard time ‘cause it’s not often my cute little Annabeth gets a crush,” Piper teased while wrapping her arms around Annabeth. 

“Oh, be quiet, bully. I don’t have a crush. He’s just a cute guy. I’m pretty sure nothing exciting will be happening tonight. Or ever.”

Annabeth retracted herself from Piper’s arms to go change from her work clothes into sweats. “Let’s order in for dinner, and then I’ll let you do my makeup and whatnot before we go. Since you’re always begging me to let you,” Annabeth relented as she dramatically felt onto their tiny couch. It was all that could fit since Annabeth’s room took up a portion of their living space.

Piper came to join Annabeth on the couch but placed Annabeth’s legs on top of her lap. While they sat there watching reruns of  _ Buffy the Vampire Slayer _ , Annabeth thought about everything. It’d been a good two years since Annabeth had gone on a real date. Sure, she’d had drunken hookups at bars, but she never contacted those guys ever again. A guy named Luke had been her last boyfriend, and it took her a few years to realize that they’d be pretty toxic together. So getting invited to a party by a guy was a big step for Annabeth. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but it was hard not to imagine what it would like for them to be laughing together, sharing stories, getting to know each other. Annabeth didn’t want to see him as Percy Jackson, she wanted to see him as Percy. Just Percy.

What was she thinking? Annabeth forced herself to stop thinking about a delusional future with Percy Jackson. It was just a party, and even if her delusion came true, Annabeth wasn’t sure if she wanted to get involved with a celebrity. From what Annabeth witnessed with Piper and her father, it wasn’t sunshine and roses all the time. Annabeth forced herself to stop thinking and focused on the present. On Piper absentmindedly rubbing her feet. On Buffy doing a kick ass judo flip. On the sound of their dishwasher. This was good. Everything was good, as long as Annabeth didn’t focus on the past or future. The present was good.

—-

Three hours later, Annabeth was sitting on the toilet of their tiny shared bathroom while Piper took a curling iron and made Annabeth’s curls neater and less frizzy. Piper had already coated Annabeth’s face in a thin layer of makeup that included shiny lip gloss and sparkly silver eyeliner. Annabeth couldn’t complain though, she’d told Piper she could do this.

Her best friend already looked dazzling in her ripped boyfriend jeans and flowy red blouse. Piper always looked stunning. It really wasn’t fair. 

“So, what are you gonna say to him tonight?” Piper asked casually, while trying not to burn Annabeth’s ear. 

“To who?”

Piper rolled her eyes. “Percy you dunce.”

Annabeth hoped the foundation Piper had put on her hid her blush. “Oh, I don't know. Probably hi.”

“Wow, what a poet you are,” Piper mused. “Just be normal, fascinating, beautiful, intelligent Annabeth.”

“Aw, Pipes, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” Annabeth leaned forward and kissed her best friend’s cheek.

“Ick! Dude, I  _ just _ did my makeup.” Piper was at the mirror dabbing the spot Annabeth had messed up. “I take it back, you’re terrible,” she grumbled.

Annabeth gave Piper her best pout. “You still have to tell me what I’m wearing.”

Piper grumbled profanities under her breath as she dragged Annabeth into her bedroom and shoved some clothes at her. 

When Annabeth looked in the mirror a few minutes later, she felt a sense of love for her best friend. Despite Annabeth giving Piper free reign over her attire and face, Annabeth still looked pretty much like herself. The black skinny jeans hugged her long legs nicely, and the white off the shoulder top wasn’t too extravagant but still dressy. All in all, Annabeth thought she looked  _ hot _ . “Oh goddess of love, what would I do without you,” Annabeth sighed dramatically. 

“I know, I’m great. Now let’s go our Uber will be here in a few,” Piper commanded. “We’re already fashionably late enough.” 

With a few more encouraging words to herself, Annabeth followed her roommate out the door.

******

Percy didn’t drink. It was one of his rules after spending a few years with his mom’s drunk, abusive ex-husband. But the way his palms were sweating he kind of wished he did. 

“Dude, chill out.” Grover rolled his eyes. “You don’t even know this girl.” 

Percy inwardly cringed at himself. His best friend was right. He didn’t know Annabeth. He couldn’t describe why he felt so drawn to her. Maybe it was the way it looked like she could hold the weight of the world on her shoulders and then some. Maybe it was because it looked like she had secrets that he wanted to help hold. 

He tried distracting himself by enjoying his surroundings. Despite living in New York his whole life, he’d never even heard of this building until he’d been invited to a party on top of it. The rooftop was lined in strung up lights and there was a pool that glistened. Younger Percy couldn’t even fathom having enough money to be at a place like this. His life had changed so much. 

He tried making small talk with different people at the party; models, directors, other actors. His eyes never stopped scanning for someone else though. It was almost 11 when he finally found her. 

Her golden curls were like a beacon to him. Even under the fake yellow lighting they

still seemed to shimmer. She was standing next to the girl who had interviewed him that morning, and her smile may as well have been the prettiest thing in the world. Suddenly he wasn’t Percy the famous actor, he was awkward Percy who couldn’t stop getting in trouble to save himself from getting kicked out of school. 

Grover’s eyes followed to where he was staring. “That her?” he questioned. 

All Percy could do was nod. 

So of course his friend shoved him in Annabeth’s direction. “Then stop ogling and talk to her.”

Mustering up all the courage he had (and maybe some from his inner Spider-Man) Percy approached the two girls. “So you decided we were cool enough for you after all,” is what he said, and he decided he shouldn’t be allowed to talk ever again. 

Piper was smirking, and Annabeth just looked amused. “It was between this and all my other famous socialite friends,” Annabeth quipped. 

Percy felt his cheeks redden. “Hopefully this doesn’t disappoint then…”

“Do you want a drink, Annabeth?” Piper interjected, totally not looking at Percy at all. 

“No thanks, I’ll come find you in a bit.” The look that passed between them was like a silent conversation, and Percy felt like a third wheel. Were all girls telepathic? He wondered how far the two of them went back. 

Piper gave Percy a look before wandering off. Her vibe was completely different from the friendly interviewer this morning. It made sense since now Percy wasn’t a guest, he was the guy who’d asked her best friend to a party.” 

Then there were two.

“So… you come to these often?” Percy wanted to jump off a bridge. That was the dumbest line in the entire book. In every single book ever.

Annabeth was smiling with her mouth closed, like she was trying not to laugh. The thing was, Percy  _ wanted _ to hear her laugh. Her silver eyes looked like they held the answers to the universe. 

“I don’t party much, no. Sometimes I’ll go out with some friends, but nothing this, uh, extravagant.” Annabeth motioned with her hand around the rooftop. It was a bit much. Rich people tried too hard. 

“I come so I can make friends in the industry. Makes the job easier,” Percy explained, hoping he didn’t sound like a pretentious dick. 

“Who’s your best famous friend then?”

“Grover Underwood,” Percy said without hesitation. 

“Any relation to Carrie Underwood?”

Percy felt his entire body relax as he broke out a grin. “None whatsoever. Although, Grover insists his vocals are just as good as hers.” 

And then he got to hear it. He got to hear Annabeth laugh. It was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard. He studied her face while she laughed. Her nose scrunched up and her eyes closed. He hoped he could make her laugh more. 

“He’ll have to perform for me sometime,” Annabeth teased. All Percy interpreted from that sentence was that it would be he could see Annabeth again. 

“Do you wanna go get like burgers and milkshakes?” Percy blurted out without really thinking about the consequences. 

The sly smile returned to Annabeth’s face. “I’m vegan.”

Percy probably looked mortified. “Shit, I’m sorry—”

Annabeth was laughing again. “I guess I’m not officially vegan, but Piper is so it’s kind of been passed onto me. Easier if we both just eat the same things. But I will make an exception for milkshakes. Haven’t had real dairy in ages.”

“Yeah?” Percy probably looked like a mad man with how wide he was smiling, but he didn’t care. “We can walk if that’s cool with you.”

“It’s perfect, I’ll text Piper not to wait up for me.”

*********

Annabeth was grateful for the warm New York summer air. It hid the blush that crept up her cheeks. She watched Percy out of the corner of her eye. His hands were shoved awkwardly in his pockets, and she could see he was biting the inside of his cheek. His nervousness was pretty endearing.

The silence that hung between them was slightly awkward, but Annabeth didn’t feel the need to ease it. She let herself enjoy the feeling of walking around her city late at night. Almost every building was still lit up. Tourists and locals alike still bustled along every sidewalk. Every store front they passed that was still opened had some kind of music playing. It’d been a long time since Annabeth had the chance to let herself enjoy her surroundings.

Percy cleared his throat, probably in an attempt to break their silence. “It’s just up here.” He motioned to a restaurant that had lights strung up over their outdoor patio. Multiple people occupied its tables, despite the time being almost midnight. 

“Can’t wait to give my body the gift of dairy,” Annabeth replied sarcastically. 

Once they reached the counter to order, Annabeth tried to pay for her strawberry milkshake and fries, but Percy insisted otherwise. Normally, this act of outdated chivalry would’ve annoyed her, but it was Percy. Somehow he was the exception to all of her rules.

Thankfully, he didn’t pull out her chair for her. Maybe he did that on second dates. Not that Annabeth considered this a date. “So where are you headed after this?  _ Saturday Night Live _ ?”

Percy’s grin was lopsided in the most irritatingly adorable way. “I haven’t been invited yet, sadly. We’re doing press in the UK this weekend. ‘Parently Europeans like overrated American superheroes, too.”

“I don’t think Spider-Man is overrated,” Annabeth argued. When Percy started chuckling she realized he’d only been being facetious. Her cheeks felt warm again. “But who knows, haven’t seen you be him yet,” she quickly added, trying to hide her embarrassing misinterpretation. 

“What about you? I’m assuming you don’t work weekends.”

Annabeth appreciated that he didn’t seize the opportunity to tease her. “Most of the time I do. Tomorrow I’ll probably do some grocery shopping and catch up on  _ Stranger Things _ .”

Percy gave her an incredulous look. “You haven’t finished that yet? It’s been out for months. C’mon, Annabeth, I had you pegged as an overachiever.”

Although, he was mostly right about her being an overachiever, Annabeth rolled her eyes. “I don’t have time to watch that much, unlike you apparently. Weren’t you supposed to be filming a movie?” She raised one of her eyebrows at him.

He held his hands up like he was surrendering. “Maybe, sometimes, instead of sleeping I’d stay up all night. Don’t tell my mom please.”

The laugh that escaped Annabeth’s lips wasn’t what she planned on happening, but it did anyway. For some reason, she found it so easy to not hold back around Percy. It was kind of terrifying. “Scout’s honor.”

As they continued talking for another hour, Annabeth let herself relax even more. The ease with which they bantered with each other made her heart want to explode from happiness. It had been so long since she’d felt so much like herself, and she barely knew this guy. She knew it was only a matter of time before the world got their hands on Percy. He was so endearingly charming and sweet. She hoped fame wouldn’t change that.

She allowed herself to get lost in his eyes that she’d found so captivating that morning. Had she really only met this guy less than 24 hours ago? It felt like she’d known him longer already. His eyes seemed to change while he talked about different things. When he spoke of his mom they seemed to be full of an impossible amount of love. When he talked about different shenanigans he’d pulled on set they changed to a sneaky gleam. Annabeth had no idea how she was supposed to stop herself from falling for him.

She was definitely screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> constructive criticism and compliments always welcome!!!

**Author's Note:**

> more chapters coming soon xx tell me what ya think!


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